International Family Film Festival to Honor Disney Film Legend Bill Farmer

Bill Farmer, the voice actor who has played such characters as Disney’s Goofy and Pluto, will be honored at the 16th International Family Film Festival, where he is to receive the 2011 Fritz Award for Excellence in Animation.

He will receive the award at the fest’s awards ceremony, which concludes the festival, which runs from March 16-20 at Releigh Studios in Hollywood.

Besides his work the voice of Goofy and Disney, Farmer’s credits include Horton Hears a Who!, Robot Chicken, Casper: A Spirited Beginning and Space Jam, in which he voiced the Warner characters Yosemite Sam and Foghorn Leghorn.

Farmer fashioned his Goofy voice after Pinto Colvig, the former circus clown and musician who originated Goofy’s famous laugh in 1932 and gave voice to the character for many years.

“Bill is one of the most delightful people and Goofy among the most lovable characters in the Disney family. They both give their audience the courage to play and dream with them through life,” Dr. Suzanne Shoemaker, IFFF co-founder and education director, said.